At Momentum’s Women’s Event this week, I listened to Elana Afrika tell us how we, as women, have been brought up to say “sorry” and apologise so easily for any little thing, and I thought to myself, “Not me. I’m happy to say sorry when I’m wrong, but I don’t apologise for everything.”
A while later, I left the room, and as I started out the door, another lady was coming in.
“Sorry!” I said, as I made way for her to come past first.
I turned the corner, and had to squeeze past two people talking in the hallway. Gently tapping her on the shoulder, I said, “Sorry, I just need to come past…”
In the restroom, I pushed the door open, but unfortunately it wasn’t locked and it was already occupied! “Sorry! I’m so sorry!” I blurted as I quickly closed the door and waited outside, slightly embarrassed. When she exited the room, we both apologised to each other again, but laughed it off as we went on our way.
Back at the table, as I sat back down, my chair squeaked and I immediately pulled my face and said to the women sitting next to me, “Oh this chair, sorry!” We started chatting, and when we asked for my business card, I could only find one of my old ones, and none of the new ones we had just printed. Again, I apologised. For not having the business card ready that she knew nothing about.
Wow.
She Owns Her Success
I honestly did not realize how much I apologise. How often I don’t give myself credit. How much I forget to celebrate myself, or my accomplishment, or the 80% I got RIGHT. Instead, I focus on the 20% I got wrong. And this becomes who I am, and how I see myself.
But I am also allowed to own my success. Celebrate myself and my wins, and in the same breathe, also be OK with my failures. It’s just another area I need to work on more. But I, myself, am not my failures. I do not need to say I’m sorry for being me. I can own my success. I do not need to say I’m sorry when I am winning, and succeeding, and flourishing in my business. We can own our own success.
MOMENTUM >> WOMENTUM
Momentum encourged women this month to flip the conversation on its head this Women’s month. Women across the country are reaching incredible milestones, and achieving well beyond what they were taught was possible; and still so many don’t confidently embrace their success.
Momentum launched the #NoApologyForMySuccess campaign – a movement that aims to inspire women to talk confidently about their achievements and how they’ve positively contributed to society. And at this week’s #SheOwnsHerSuccess event, we as women, were empowered to be less self-conscious about our achievements. It served as a positive platform for women to come together, share their experiences and insights, learn from other unapologetically successful women and boldly own the achievements on their journey to success.
We were invited to spend the morning with Elana Afrika as our MC, the beautiful Nontokozo Madonsela from Momentum and multi-award winning business woman, Farah Fortune, as our keynote speaker. During the day, we were also taught how to better present ourselves, especially with regards to presentations and talks – by Presentation Specialists, MSNG LNK (missing link)
Nadine, from Smallberg Party of Four, and I were able to connect with fellow females in business and I left that afternoon feeling inspired, beautiful, proud and with absolutely no apology for my success!
Thank you, Momentum, for taking August to focus on Women, our success and our journeys. I am much more aware of how I present myself, apologising when I don’t need to, and celebrating the success I have earned!
Love,
Simone
My name is Simone and I am a mom of four, wife to one, and I blog about the joys and experience of living life as a large family.
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